The UFC returned to pay-per-view on Saturday for the first time since Fourth of July weekend with UFC 177 at Sacramento’s Sleep Train Arena
A UFC bantamweight championship fight headlined the card. However, it wasn’t the one anticipated for the past few months. T.J. Dillashaw (11-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) held on to his belt with a fifth-round knockout of last-minute replacement Joe Soto (15-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) after his original opponent, ex-champ Renan Barao, pulled out on the eve of the event.
Prior to the main event, a number of entertaining fights rounded out the main card as Tony Ferguson (16-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) took home a split-decision win, Bethe Correia (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) scored a knockout, and Carlos Diego Ferreira (11-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and Yancy Medeiros (10-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) picked up submission finishes.
After every event, fans wonder whom the winners will be matched up with next. And with another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Joe Silva’s (and Sean Shelby’s) shoes, and play UFC matchmaker.
* * * *
Yancy Medeiros
Should fight: Justin Edwards
Why they should fight: Medeiros took care of business against short-notice replacement Damon Jackson. However, before Jackson stepped in,Medeiros was originally scheduled to take on Edwards (8-4 MMA, 2-3 UFC).
Even though Edwards is coming off two consecutive losses and Medeiros is coming off a “Performance of the Night” bonus and victory, it’s still a compelling fight on paper.
Both men are prone to finishing fights and are also familiar with the taste of a knockout or submission defeat. They are known to press forward on the offensive end and have a tendency to get into wild exchanges. If the matchup is booked again, try not to blink.
Carlos Diego Ferreira
Should fight: Winner of Gleison Tibau vs. Piotr Hallmann at UFC Fight Night 51
Why they should fight: Ferreira is one of many prospects to enter the UFC through Legacy FC, and after two octagon appearances, the Brazilian has delivered.
He scored a quick submission win over Colton Smith in his promotional debut earlier this year, and at UFC 177, his striking skills were on displays. Ferreira hurt Ramsey Nijem multiple times on the feet before he landed a fight-ending blow in the second round to improve his perfect record to 11-0.
Ferreira has defeated two durable fighters early in his UFC career and has proven he’s ready for the next level of lightweight competition. A fight that could work with his timeframe is the winner of Tibau (29-10 MMA, 14-8 UFC) vs. Hallmann (15-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 51.
Tibau, in particular, would be a strong test for Ferreira, who has fought a record 21 times in the UFC lightweight division and has a history of separating the pretenders from the contenders. Hallmann, on the other hand, is an up and comer himself and would be legitimized as a threat in the division with a potential win over Tibau.
Bethe Correia
Should fight: Sarah Kaufman
Why they should fight: While Correia has put together a solid 3-0 run in the UFC and is clearly in the crosshairs of women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, the Brazilian has not yet proven she’s capable of beating top-10 competition, let alone someone on Rousey’s level.
The entire Correia vs. “The Four Horsemen” rivalry is a solid storyline to promote, but Correia still needs to be validated as a true contender. UFC President Dana White said there’s a long list of fighters gunning for No. 1 contender status, and he’s right. The likes of Cat Zingano, Amanda Nunes, Sara McMann, Miesha Tate and possibly even Gina Carano are flirting with a championship fight.
A victory over Kaufman (17-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) would be the perfect addition to Correia’s resume. Kaufman would present, by far, the most credible threat of Correia’s career. The Canadian possesses dangerous striking and a competent ground game. She is a veteran of the sport who, win or lose, would help answer a lot of questions about Correia’s talents.
Tony Ferguson
Should fight: Abel Trujillo
Why they should fight: With wins in six of his seven UFC fights, Ferguson has displayed the talents of a legitimate contender and is going to be a tough out for a lot of fighters in the UFC’s most competitive division.
While his decision win over fellow lightweight Danny Castillo was somewhat controversial, Ferguson was constantly trying to finish the fight. In the end, he defeated the hometown fighter.
“El Cucey” showed some flaws in his game, including his inability to escape from bottom position to his feet, but his offensive pressure makes up for his shortcomings.
Another fighter who knows a thing or two about offensive pressure is Abel Trujillo (12-5 MMA, 3-1 UFC). Both men are in roughly the same position in the weight class and have the styles to make for an entertaining fight. Trujillo is one of the division’s most powerful strikers and has a wrestling game that could keep Ferguson on the feet and put his recent run of success in serious jeopardy.
T.J. Dillashaw
Should fight: Dominick Cruz or Raphael Assuncao
Why they should fight: Dillashaw didn’t fight Barao at UFC 177 as everyone had expected, but he still turned in a memorable performance in his first 135-pound title defense.
Dillashaw had little to gain and everything to lose against last-minute replacement Soto going into the headliner in front of a hometown crowd. Despite that, he put on a striking clinic and eventually landed a head-kick knockout in the fifth round.
While his rematch with Barao was a big fight for the bantamweight division, White has made it clear the Brazilian’s weigh-in mishap will prevent him from challenging for the belt anytime soon.
That opens the door for a number of contenders, in particular Cruz (19-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and Assuncao (22-4 MMA, 6-1 UFC), if they can win their upcoming fights against Takeya Mizugaki and Bryan Caraway, respectively. With a win, both fighters would have a strong case for a shot at the championship.
Cruz is obviously the former divisional kingpin and never lost the belt in competition. However, he was stripped of the title due to a longstanding injury layoff. He makes his return at UFC 178 after more than two years of inactivity.
Assuncao, on the other hand, holds a six-fight UFC winning streak and already holds a split-decision victory over Dillashaw. If he can defeat Caraway at UFC Fight Night 53 and make it seven in a row, he would be hard to deny as the top contender.
Either option would be perfectly suitable, and if one suffers a loss it would make the decision much easier. Should they both emerge victorious in their upcoming fights, though, Cruz is the more sellable matchup. “The Dominator” has not been defeated in more than seven years, and if he can return from injury with the same fighting ability as before, he’s indisputably the biggest threat to Dillashaw’s throne
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Some nice match ups there. Abel and Ferguson would be sick, maybe Abel by KO or Tony by sub. Would like to see Gleison get a win as well. Id like to see how TJ handles Cruz though. Prime Cruz by speed and footwork, out TJing TJ.
A UFC bantamweight championship fight headlined the card. However, it wasn’t the one anticipated for the past few months. T.J. Dillashaw (11-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) held on to his belt with a fifth-round knockout of last-minute replacement Joe Soto (15-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) after his original opponent, ex-champ Renan Barao, pulled out on the eve of the event.
Prior to the main event, a number of entertaining fights rounded out the main card as Tony Ferguson (16-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) took home a split-decision win, Bethe Correia (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) scored a knockout, and Carlos Diego Ferreira (11-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and Yancy Medeiros (10-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) picked up submission finishes.
After every event, fans wonder whom the winners will be matched up with next. And with another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Joe Silva’s (and Sean Shelby’s) shoes, and play UFC matchmaker.
* * * *
Yancy Medeiros
Should fight: Justin Edwards
Why they should fight: Medeiros took care of business against short-notice replacement Damon Jackson. However, before Jackson stepped in,Medeiros was originally scheduled to take on Edwards (8-4 MMA, 2-3 UFC).
Even though Edwards is coming off two consecutive losses and Medeiros is coming off a “Performance of the Night” bonus and victory, it’s still a compelling fight on paper.
Both men are prone to finishing fights and are also familiar with the taste of a knockout or submission defeat. They are known to press forward on the offensive end and have a tendency to get into wild exchanges. If the matchup is booked again, try not to blink.
Carlos Diego Ferreira
Should fight: Winner of Gleison Tibau vs. Piotr Hallmann at UFC Fight Night 51
Why they should fight: Ferreira is one of many prospects to enter the UFC through Legacy FC, and after two octagon appearances, the Brazilian has delivered.
He scored a quick submission win over Colton Smith in his promotional debut earlier this year, and at UFC 177, his striking skills were on displays. Ferreira hurt Ramsey Nijem multiple times on the feet before he landed a fight-ending blow in the second round to improve his perfect record to 11-0.
Ferreira has defeated two durable fighters early in his UFC career and has proven he’s ready for the next level of lightweight competition. A fight that could work with his timeframe is the winner of Tibau (29-10 MMA, 14-8 UFC) vs. Hallmann (15-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 51.
Tibau, in particular, would be a strong test for Ferreira, who has fought a record 21 times in the UFC lightweight division and has a history of separating the pretenders from the contenders. Hallmann, on the other hand, is an up and comer himself and would be legitimized as a threat in the division with a potential win over Tibau.
Bethe Correia
Should fight: Sarah Kaufman
Why they should fight: While Correia has put together a solid 3-0 run in the UFC and is clearly in the crosshairs of women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, the Brazilian has not yet proven she’s capable of beating top-10 competition, let alone someone on Rousey’s level.
The entire Correia vs. “The Four Horsemen” rivalry is a solid storyline to promote, but Correia still needs to be validated as a true contender. UFC President Dana White said there’s a long list of fighters gunning for No. 1 contender status, and he’s right. The likes of Cat Zingano, Amanda Nunes, Sara McMann, Miesha Tate and possibly even Gina Carano are flirting with a championship fight.
A victory over Kaufman (17-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) would be the perfect addition to Correia’s resume. Kaufman would present, by far, the most credible threat of Correia’s career. The Canadian possesses dangerous striking and a competent ground game. She is a veteran of the sport who, win or lose, would help answer a lot of questions about Correia’s talents.
Tony Ferguson
Should fight: Abel Trujillo
Why they should fight: With wins in six of his seven UFC fights, Ferguson has displayed the talents of a legitimate contender and is going to be a tough out for a lot of fighters in the UFC’s most competitive division.
While his decision win over fellow lightweight Danny Castillo was somewhat controversial, Ferguson was constantly trying to finish the fight. In the end, he defeated the hometown fighter.
“El Cucey” showed some flaws in his game, including his inability to escape from bottom position to his feet, but his offensive pressure makes up for his shortcomings.
Another fighter who knows a thing or two about offensive pressure is Abel Trujillo (12-5 MMA, 3-1 UFC). Both men are in roughly the same position in the weight class and have the styles to make for an entertaining fight. Trujillo is one of the division’s most powerful strikers and has a wrestling game that could keep Ferguson on the feet and put his recent run of success in serious jeopardy.
T.J. Dillashaw
Should fight: Dominick Cruz or Raphael Assuncao
Why they should fight: Dillashaw didn’t fight Barao at UFC 177 as everyone had expected, but he still turned in a memorable performance in his first 135-pound title defense.
Dillashaw had little to gain and everything to lose against last-minute replacement Soto going into the headliner in front of a hometown crowd. Despite that, he put on a striking clinic and eventually landed a head-kick knockout in the fifth round.
While his rematch with Barao was a big fight for the bantamweight division, White has made it clear the Brazilian’s weigh-in mishap will prevent him from challenging for the belt anytime soon.
That opens the door for a number of contenders, in particular Cruz (19-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and Assuncao (22-4 MMA, 6-1 UFC), if they can win their upcoming fights against Takeya Mizugaki and Bryan Caraway, respectively. With a win, both fighters would have a strong case for a shot at the championship.
Cruz is obviously the former divisional kingpin and never lost the belt in competition. However, he was stripped of the title due to a longstanding injury layoff. He makes his return at UFC 178 after more than two years of inactivity.
Assuncao, on the other hand, holds a six-fight UFC winning streak and already holds a split-decision victory over Dillashaw. If he can defeat Caraway at UFC Fight Night 53 and make it seven in a row, he would be hard to deny as the top contender.
Either option would be perfectly suitable, and if one suffers a loss it would make the decision much easier. Should they both emerge victorious in their upcoming fights, though, Cruz is the more sellable matchup. “The Dominator” has not been defeated in more than seven years, and if he can return from injury with the same fighting ability as before, he’s indisputably the biggest threat to Dillashaw’s throne
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Some nice match ups there. Abel and Ferguson would be sick, maybe Abel by KO or Tony by sub. Would like to see Gleison get a win as well. Id like to see how TJ handles Cruz though. Prime Cruz by speed and footwork, out TJing TJ.
Statistics: Posted by Shittits McGee — Sep 1. 2014, 05:53 — Replies 0 — Views 0
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